After surgery, you will be moved to the intensive care unit. You will be under sedation and will be connected to a ventilator to help your breathing.
The specialist team will constantly check and monitor your condition. You will be given fluid and medication intravenously (directly into a vein) and X-rays will be taken. When your condition is stable, you will usually be moved to a high-dependency ward.
Getting back to normal
You will normally be discharged from hospital two to three weeks after surgery, and will be asked to stay near the transplant centre for one month.
For the second month, you will need to visit weekly for four weeks. After that, for the rest of your life, you will have a blood test every six weeks and will be seen at the transplant centre every three months.
For the first six weeks after surgery, you need to avoid pushing and pulling or lifting anything heavy. You will be encouraged to take part in a rehabilitation programme involving exercises to build up your strength.
Immunosuppressant drugs
You will need to take immunosuppressant drugs, which weaken your immune system so your body does not try to reject the new organ. However, these drugs also reduce your ability to fight infections and can affect the functioning of your kidneys.
You will have your first dose of immunosuppressants during your operation, and then immediately after surgery. For the next few months, you will need to take high doses of immunosuppressant drugs. You will need to take these for the rest of your life (although the high dosage may be gradually reduced).
If you do not take immunosuppressants, your transplant will fail.
